Legislation has been filed in the Texas House that would bar access to social media platforms for minors under the age of 16.
State Rep. Jared Patterson (R–Frisco) filed the measure on Monday, the beginning of bill filing for the upcoming 90th Legislative Session.
House Bill 212 would totally bar the use of social media in Texas by minors under the age of 16, requiring that they “use a commercially reasonable method” to verify “that a person seeking to become an account holder is not an individual who is younger than 16 years of age.”
The proposed legislation requires that personal information provided can only be used to verify an account applicant’s age and that the data cannot be saved or transmitted. Upon completing the age verification, companies are required to immediately delete the personal information that was gathered.
If a social media company either neglects to verify a user’s age, allows an individual under 16 to use the social media platform, or retains the user’s personal information, it is considered a “deceptive trade practice.”
Over the summer Texas lawmakers examined the effects of social media on minors’ health and were urged by witnesses “to require online platforms to build stronger protections for minors rather than rely on parental controls.”
The legislation would build on Senate Bill 2420, known as the App Store Accountability Act, which passed during the 2025 legislative session. It requires parental permission before minors can download apps, links children’s accounts to a parent’s account, and mandates age ratings for apps.
The 90th Legislative Session begins on January 12, 2027.
